Cuts
by Mr Nuked Duck
Summary: Taiga finds out that cuts aren't always a bad thing...


**My first Toradora!-fanfic. I hope you like it! X )**

**("Baka" is Japanese for "Idiot". I think it adds more to the effect, that's why I didn't choose the english version.)**

**R&R!**

* * *

''Ouch!'' Taiga exclaimed and shot back her hand in pain.

''Again?!'' Ryuuji asked and looked disbelieving at his klutzy fiancee. ''Honestly, you never learn, do you?''

_''Zip it, you stupid mongrel!''_ the blushing girl growled in response as she tried to stop the small bleeding from her index-finger.

Ryuuji just sighed as he wiped his wet hands on his apron. Every time she tried to help him making dinner it was the same thing, she would always mess up in almost every possible way; Dropping ingredients, burning meals, spilling all kinds of liquids and last but not least, the classic: cutting herself while chopping vegetables. He appreciated what she was trying to do, he really did, but the results left much to wish for. Still, the adorable clumsiness she always displayed was a big part of her charm, what made her into the woman he loved so much.

Taiga flinched a little when she felt a comforting hand being placed on her head, patting her reassuring and lovingly.

''I'll go get some patches...!'' Ryuuji declared with a smile, earning him another embarrassed glare from the palmtop-tiger.

Careful not to step on the deeply sleeping Ya-chan, Ryuuji walked into the living-room and over to the desk where they kept their medical-supplies. He crouched down and started searching the drawers for patches.

''Let's see here...!'' he mumbled to himself. ''Patches, patches, patches- Oh! Right! They're in the-''

''B-b-b-'' a twitching voice suddenly stuttered behind him, making him stop and turn around.

''Oh! Inko-chan?!'' Ryuuji exclaimed excited and crouched down next to the small bird-cage on the floor, examining the sickly-looking bird with great enthusiasm. ''Come on! You can do it, Inko-chan!'' Ryuuji cheered on the bird. ''Say it! In which drawer are the patches?!''

''B-b-b...'' the bird stuttered. ''B-b-b... Bullsh-''_***Swish!***_

Ryuuji had just covered the bird-cage with it´s green curtain with an annoyed frown on his face.

''It's the _bottom_ drawer, you foul-mouthed little-''

''_Ryyyuuujii!_'' Taiga´s whiny voice suddenly interrupted him from the kitchen.

Ryuuji turned and looked up at the tiny, sulking girl standing in the door-opening, holding up her bleeding finger for him to see. Her brown eyes were all watered up now and her lower lip was quivering in front of her gritted teeth as she tried to keep the tears inside.

''It _huuurts_!'' she whined and sobbed a little.

This instantly triggered Ryuuji's protective instincts. He _hated_ seeing her sad and would do almost anything to change it! He quickly got up from the floor and grabbed some patches from the bottom drawer before he hurried over to his sobbing girlfriend.

''Here, let me see that!'' Ryuuji demanded and grasped her wrist, holding up her bleeding finger in front of him.

''It _buuuuurns_!'' Taiga continued to whine as she used her other hand to wipe away the tears that were taking shape at the edges of her eyes.

''No wonder. You haven't cleaned it properly! Baka!'' Ryuuji stated with a serious expression as he kept examining the small, bleeding cut.

Taiga sobbed a little more and wiped away her last tears before she looked at Ryuuji through misty, wet eyes. She almost yelped in surprise when he suddenly brought her hand closer and put the tip of her finger into his mouth. Taiga stared shocked at the sight of his lips closed around her finger, they felt so soft against her smarting skin. She instantly started to blush when she felt his tongue lap at her cut inside his mouth. It felt smooth and soothing against her irritated wound, as did his saliva as it surrounded her burning fingertip and cooled it down, making her relax.

This felt good. _Really_ good...!

Taiga couldn't help but to draw a sigh of relief as she leaned back her head, closed her eyes and relaxed, simply enjoying Ryuuji's sweet treatment in silence.

_'I guess... cuts aren't all that bad!'_ the palmtop-tiger thought and smiled to herself.

When he finally released her finger she almost wanted to protest at first, but quickly stopped herself, remembering how she had just recently set up a "_no over-the-top physical contact_"-rule. She kinda regretted it now as she felt like she wanted more of what he had just given her, maybe even more than just that. But for the sake of her superior image, she would have to keep her mask on for at least another two days. After that it would probably be okay to disband the rule without any questioning.

''There we go!'' Ryuuji said as he finished putting on the patch with a smile. ''Just leave it be and it'll be as good as new in a couple of days!''

_''I... I told you to zip it... you mongrel!''_ Taiga mumbled embarrassed as she refused to look at him.

Ryuuji just hummed and smiled at her, giving her another reassuring pat on the head.

''C'mon! Let's get back to work, it's almost dinner-time!''

Taiga didn't answer.

* * *

_'Cuts... aren't all that bad...?'_ the palmtop-tiger thought to herself as she inspected her patched finger.

The sensation of Ryuuji's lips wrapped around it still lingered in her mind, making her feel all fuzzy inside and smile unintentionally.

_'No. Cuts can be **great**!'_

''Hey, Taiga!'' Ryuuji suddenly called out from the rice-cooker, snapping her out of her thoughts. ''If you have to keep insisting on cutting the vegetables, can you at least _do_ something instead of just staring at your hand?!''

''Shut up! I'm gonna cut them now!'' was his only answer.

Ryuuji just looked away and smiled. She was such a stubborn girl. But she was _his_ stubborn girl!

''Ouch!'' Taiga suddenly yelped and shot back her hand.

''AGAIN?!'' Ryuuji exclaimed for the second time that day. ''Are you doing this on purpose?!''

''...''

''Taiga?''

''Shut up, shut up, shut up!'' Taiga suddenly shouted, waking up Ya-chan for a brief second, mumbling something about 'salted, meat-stuffed onigiris' before she rolled over and went back to sleep. ''Just shut up and lick it like a good dog!''

''Eh...?''

* * *

**Cuts can be great... if you have someone to heal them for you! ; )**


End file.
